What they said … the football weekend in quotes

"It was a chastening experience for us today but we're just going to have to take it on the chin now and move on pretty quickly."

Eamonn Fitzmaurice's Kerry were no match for the Dubs.

"Maybe there's an objective to sanitise the game of Gaelic football. I look at the hurling fraternity and they've kept the physicality in their game - so we just need to be mindful of that."

The CHC's failure to overturn the red card picked up by Micheal Fitzsimons against Mayo was criticised by Jim Gavin.

"Ten points out of ten is really, really good and we have our status for next year and we'll see what happens after that."

Kevin Walsh and the Tribesmen have surpassed expectations on their return to the top flight.

"It was the changing of the game. We have to learn from it. But very disappointed with it."

Fintan Kelly's sending-off just before half-time had a major bearing on the outcome in Salthill, according to Malachy O'Rourke.

"We have found that we lose too many games in Omagh, and every other county's home ground seems to be a bit of a fortress, and that is not the case with Omagh to date with us, so we have to try to do something about that."

Mickey Harte's Tyrone got the better of Donegal by six points in Healy Park.

"He's picked up an injury that he needs a scan on. We'll see what the story is."

Donegal manager Declan Bonner is sweating over the fitness of star forward Paddy McBrearty who was sidelined for the all-Ulster clash.

"We've no bad luck story to fall on to here, we were comprehensively beaten all over the pitch by a better team and we didn't fight till the end and that's the real disappointment, but that's team sport."

Cian O'Neill was bitterly disappointed with the manner of Kildare's defeat to Mayo.

"We shouldn't have put ourselves in that position but when we have to stand up we generally get the results at the end of the league and this year is no different."

Jason Doherty and his Mayo team-mates have a habit of finding their form when it matters most.

"Ah, a bit of holding hands. It was a holding hands session. Listen, if there was anything in it both teams would have come out in the second-half and they'd have been thumping. A great game of football in the second-half, a great game of football."

Mattie McGleenan played down the incident that led to Down manager Eamonn Burns being sent to the stand for the second-half of Cavan's three-point win on Saturday evening.

"We are progressing all of the time. It's up to the players now. We have got two games and if they win the two games we will be going to Division 1 so we will wait and see."

Tipperary dispatched Louth with the minimum of fuss and Liam Kearn's side have their promotion destiny in their own hands with two rounds left.

"It's a very funny league. We've a home game now and our form at home has been very poor, but hopefully we'll be able to improve on that next weekend."